Kristen and Eric have both spent much of their time in the band world. In fact, seven years before they started dating they may have met. Western High School and Cypress Bay High School were playing a rival football game and the two marching bands were allowed to go to the end zone and mingle during half time. Kristen was Western’s band captain and Eric was Cypress Bay’s drum captain. Neither can say for sure, but it is very likely that a nerdy snare drummer said hello to a nerdy band captain on that hot South Florida night. Fast forward to when Kristen got her first teaching job, she happened to work alongside Eric’s high school band director, Mike Friedman. At the end of her first year, Mike was kind enough to recommend Kristen to Cheldon Williams, then director of J.P. Taravella High Marching Band, to join the marching band staff. The next year, Cheldon, who also happened to be Eric’s associate band director when he was at Cypress Bay High, was in need of an associate director. Thankfully, teenage Eric made a good enough impression that Cheldon hired him on the spot. When Kristen arrived to teach the Taravella band camp for the second year, there was a funny looking bearded fellow sitting in the office. She had a good feeling. After rehearsal, the teaching staff all went out for their regular post-rehearsal bar fare. Eric and Kristen traded some stories, some looks, and a few months later had their first date on Halloween. They've been enjoying good beer and figuring out life together ever since. They can't wait to gather their favorite people to celebrate their love.